qik

The fact that Skype has been in sale mode hasn't been a total secret. When Ebay sold off a massive chunk of the company, and the IPO kept being delayed, it was evident Skype was in need of a suitor. I was quoted quite a bit on the news that Ebay bought Skype in 2005, and many of comments questioned the value of Skype to Ebay. Here we are nearly 6 years later and it seems Skype is now in the right hands.

Qik has updated its video calling app, Qik Video Connect, to support cross-platform calls between iOS and Android devices. The new version - a free download for both platforms, though the premium Qik Video Connect Plus is also available for iOS - allows the front and rear cameras to be used on the iPhone 4, iPod touch 4G, iPad 2 and Android 2.1+ devices for two-way video chat and video mail.

You may soon be able to stream live shows on YouTube if not be live-streaming your own channel on Youtube. The online video giant launched today its YouTube Live portal that will integrate live streaming capabilities and discovery tools directly into YouTube's core platform. The system should eventually roll out to the masses, but will start off with select channel partners to ensure smooth content streaming until all the kinks are worked out.

We're taking a peek at the brand new [released today!] app from Qik called Qik Video Connect Plus. This app is made for iPhone, iPod Touch (4th Generation,) and iPad 2, and allows you to stay connected to your pals and family and whoever else you'd like to connect with via video. This is what they're saying is the first and only video chat service that incorporates its own video mail, and the first video chat app to include real time effects. Weird! Super neat!

Skype and Qik jointly announced at MWC 2011 that they plan on further integrating their technologies to help improve Qik's video calls on Sprint and T-Mobile devices and develop Skype's video calling solution for the Verizon LTE network. However, during the talk, Skypes's head of consumer product management, Rick Osterloh, hinted at the possibility of bringing Skype's video calling to AT&T devices. "Let's watch out for some announcements there," said Osterloh when asked about pursuing a relationship with AT&T as a video calling partner.

Skype has announced that it is buying Qik, in a deal rumored earlier on today. The deal, the company claims, will allow them to integrate Qik's recording, sharing and storing capabilities to Skype's existing video systems.

According to an insider, Skype may be looking to pick up Qik and add them into their fold soon. Qik's name became popular more recently with the introduction of video calls on mobile phones, and Skype's rumored purchase of the unit would lead some to believe that Skype is trying to stay ahead of the pack when it comes to that particular feature. According to the report, the deal would be somewhere in the park of $100 million.

Video chat specialist Qik has confirmed that it plans to integrate Apple Face Time compatibility into its software, just as soon as Apple publishes the necessary APIs. The decision will see Android devices such as the HTC EVO 4G able to make and receive video calls with Apple hardware such as the iPhone 4 and iPod touch, together with Symbian and other platforms.